Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 1 eBook

among the virtuous, and obtained once more the eternal
regions of the righteous. Here also are the well-known
lake called Punya, the mountain called Mainaka,
and that other mountain called Asita abounding in
fruits and roots. And here also is the sacred
asylum of Kakshasena, and O Yudhishthira, the asylum
of Chyavana also, which is famed over every country,
O son of Pandu! In that spot, O exalted one, men
attain to (ascetic) success without severe austerities.
Here also, O mighty king, is the region called Jamvumarga,
inhabited by birds and deer, and which constitutes
the retreat of ascetics with souls under control, O
thou foremost of those that have subdued their senses!
Next lie the exceedingly sacred Ketumala, and Medhya
ever graced with ascetics, and, O lord of earth, Gangadwara,
and the well-known woods of Saindhava which are sacred
and inhabited by the regenerate ones. There also
is the celebrated tank of the Grandsire, called Pushkara,
the favourite abode of the Vaikanasas, and Siddhas
and Rishis. Moved by the desire of obtaining
its protection, the Creator sang this verse at Pushkara,
O chief of the Kurus and foremost of virtuous men!
If a person of pure soul purposes a pilgrimage to
the Pushkaras in imagination even, he becometh purged
from all his sins and rejoiceth in heaven!’”

SECTION XC

“Dhaumya continued, ’O tiger among kings,
I shall now describe those tirthas and sacred
spots that lie to the north. Do thou, O exalted
one, listen to me attentively. By hearing this
narration, O hero, one acquireth a reverential frame
of mind, which conduceth to much good. In that
region is the highly sacred Saraswati abounding in
tirthas and with banks easy of descent.
There also, O son of Pandu, is the ocean-going and
impetuous Yamuna, and the tirtha called Plakshavatarana,
productive of high merit and prosperity. It was
there that the regenerate ones having performed the
Saraswata sacrifice, bathed on the completion
thereof. O sinless one, is the well-known celestial
tirtha called Agnisiras, which is productive
of great merit. There king Sahadeva had celebrated
a sacrifice measuring out the ground by a throw of
the Samya. It is for this reason, O Yudhishthira,
that Indra sang the praises of Sahadeva in verse.
Those verses are still current in this world, being
recited by the regenerate ones, e.g., on the
Yamuna Sahadeva worshipped the sacrificial fire, with
gifts in a hundred thousands to Brahmanas.
There the illustrious king, the imperial Bharata,
performed five and thirty horse-sacrifices. O
child, we have heard that Sarabhanga of yore used
to fully gratify the desires of the regenerate ones.
There in this region is his celebrated asylum productive
of great merit. In that region also, O son of
Pritha, is the river Saraswati, which is ever worshipped
by the god, where, in days of yore, the Valikhilyas,